Car coupler operating mechanism



Dec. 6, 1938. c, w, NIHQ5LAS 2,139,032

' CAR COUPLER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed April 5, 1937 Charles WMb/ia/as Aiiom' Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAR COUPLER OPERATING IWECHANISM ration of Delaware Application April 5, 1937, Serial No. 134,940

2 Claims.

The invention relates to devices for operating a railway car coupler from adjacent the side of 'the car, and particularly for a coupler provided with a rotary or oscillating member supported by the coupler head for transmitting operating movement to the coupler look upon rotation thereof and which is operated by a rod engaging said rotary member so that rotation of the operating rod rotates the rotary member. A typical structure coupler to which my device is applicable is shown in Kinne Patent No. 1,985,036 of December 18, 1934.

The object of the invention is to provide means to relieve the coupler lock of the weight of the operating rod and preferably also the weight of the lock lifter or rotary member.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 show a typical application of my device to a railway car.

Fig. 3 is a side View of a railway car coupler, provided with my improvement.

Fig. 4 shows the rotary member or lock lifter.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows a modified construction.

The coupler 2 is provided with a rotary member or look lifter 3 which is swingably suspended from the coupler from the pivot 4 and has its other end 5 loosely connected to the coupler look so that a swinging movement of the rotary member 3 away 30 from the car transmits operating movements to the coupler lock; that is, such movement releases the anti-creep mechanism of the coupler lock, raises the lock and throws the coupler knuckle.

The operating rod 9 is provided with a handle 35 I0 and a squared portion II which non-rotatively engages the square aperture I2 in the rotary member 3 so that rotation of the operating rod 9 swings the rotary member 3 away from the car and operates the coupler.

The stop [5 on the coupler 2 limits the swinging movement of the rotary member 3 towards the car and the coupler lock connecting link 6 has a pintle l6 engaging a slotted hole I! in the rotary member 3 to provide a loose connection therebe- 45 tween so that when the rotary member 3 is in engagement with the stop I5 the coupler lock is relieved of the weight of the operating rod 9 and also the weight of the rotary member 3.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the rotary member 3 is provided with an extension 20 which engages a part 2| of the coupler which limits the swinging movement of the rotary member 3 toward the car.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway car coupler, a member swingably suspended from the coupler for transmitting operating movements thereto upon a swinging movement thereof away from the car, an operating rod engaging said swingable member so as to swing said member away from the car upon rotation of said operating rod, and a stop on the coupler to limit the swinging movement of the swingable member toward the car, said member being loosely connected to the coupler lock so that when the member is in engagement with the stop the lock is relieved of the weight of the member and the operating rod.

2. In a railway car coupler, a member swingably suspended from the coupler by a hook overlying a journal on the coupler, said member loosely connected to the coupler lock having a slot loosely engaging a pintle on the coupler lock for transmitting operating movements thereto upon a swinging movement thereof away from the car, an operating rod engaging said swingable member so as to swing said member away from the car upon rotation of said operating rod, and a stop on the coupler to limit the swin ing movement of the swingable member toward the car, said slot and pintle being associated and arranged so that when the member is in engagement with the stop the lock is relieved of the weight of the member and the operating rod.

CHARLES W. NICHOLAS. 

